Author: Shanmi

rootsandleisure_vimimragui_rihavillage

A Trip to Riha Village, Manipur with Vimim and Her Friends

Published by Shanmi

“These photographs are taken in Riha Village, which lies in the Ukhrul District of Manipur. The village is only an hour long drive from Imphal. My friends and I hadn’t met for about a year and decided it was time to hang out. So, we drove down to this picturesque location to chill and catch up! It was simply the most beautiful day with a pleasant weather. The pine trees on the way to Riha was a beautiful sight and even more beautiful scenery unrolled as we reached the village. The breeze and the breathtaking backdrop of the mountains around the village served a perfect place for some amazing pictures. The cherry on the pie was the gorgeous sunset we witnessed. Definitely a memorable day” ~ Vimim Ragui from Manipur Vimim Ragui and the beautiful sunset behind her at Riha Village, Manipur

rootsandleisure_sushmita_rao

Meet 26-Year-Old Sushmita Rao, a Doodler and a Comic Artist from Mumbai

Published by Shanmi

Today, we have an artist Sushmita Rao, 26-year-old from Mumbai who doodles whenever she gets free time or off from work. Her illustrations are mostly based on her everyday life and experiences – which is what makes it relatable and fun for even her audience. For Sushmita, art plays an important role in cheering her up and motivating her when she’s having a rough day. Currently, she juggles between her full-time job and her art, and makes sure that her followers get a cheery artwork from her everyday!  We had a chat with Sushmita Rao, a doodler and a comic artist from Mumbai. She talks about her art, how she hopes to make people happy through her it and more! Hello! Introduce a little about yourself. Hi, my name is Sushmita Rao, 26 years of age and I’m from Mumbai, India. You can call me a doodler or a comic artist, as I make comics based on my everyday life experiences. What got you started as a doodler and a comic artist? My life itself is a …

rootsandleisure_zaza_artist

Chat with Zaza, One of Nagaland’s Hottest Singer-Songwriters

Published by Shanmi

A singer-songwriter from Dimapur, Nagaland, Zaza’s voice is nothing short of a gift. She grew up performing in churches and weddings and kept practicing to hone her music skills. Zaza’s musical journey began when she started sharing cover songs on social media, which later inspired her to write her own music. Read on to know more about Zaza and her music.  Chat with Zaza – singer-songwriter from Nagaland R&L: Hello! Introduce a little about yourself. Zaza: Hi, I’m Zaza. I’m a singer and songwriter from Kohima, Nagaland but I’m currently residing in Dimapur. R&L: What initially sparked your interest in singing and making music? Zaza: The time I released my first original “A Lil’ Taste” in 2015, I decided to take music as a career. R&L: How has your upbringing influenced your music and your working style – in general? Zaza: When I was younger, I would listen to my dad sing and play the guitar, and listen to Loggins and Messina (my family jam 😊). I use to sing in churches, weddings, etc. Maybe …

rootsandleisure_recipe_tuscansalmon

Recipe of ‘Creamy Tuscan Salmon With Spinach’ by Raman Okram from Manipur

Published by Shanmi

Every Saturday is a delight for us as we get to share some of the most amazing recipes, contributed by our followers. We’re dedicating this Saturday to this deliciously easy recipe contributed by Raman Okram –  Creamy Salmon With Spinach. Raman hails from Manipur and has shared recipes with us before as well.  Recipe of ‘Creamy Tuscan Salmon with Spinach’ dish, contributed by Raman Okram from Manipur Ingredients: 1 Salmon fillet (seasoned with salt and pepper) Vegetable oil ( 1 tbsp ) Butter ( 1 tbsp ) Garlic ( 2-3 cloves ) Cherry tomatoes Bunch of spinach Salt and pepper to taste Cream ( 1/4 cup) Parmesan Herbs ( basil/rosemary/thyme ) Lime juice ( 1 tbsp ) Preparations of the dish : Heat the pan and add the vegetable oil Sear the salmon for about 3-4 minutes on all sides and set it aside Add butter, garlic, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and stir fry Add the salt and pepper to taste, then pour the cream over it and shred the Parmesan cheese on top (keep stirring) …

rootsandleisure_kajalvora

“I Innovate and Make Art with Utility” – a Chat with Kajal Vora, Mixed Media Artist Based in Mumbai

Published by Shanmi

It’s rare to chance upon products that are as great an art piece as they are useful. Meet Kajal Vora, a mixed media artist based in Mumbai, who makes products that can be used in day-to-day life and also grace your home as decor pieces. She is an architecture, a mother and an entrepreneur. Having been gifted with a wonderful talent, she uses it to show the world her unique creations and makes art a utility!  “While all the experimentation to achieve unique textures and individuality in the projects that I have worked on, I have put in a lot of energy, time and money. Few things worked out and a lot of them did not. The point is to never give up,” says Kajal. From wall art to platters, trays, multipurpose boards, frames, etc – her work is fascinating.  We had a quick chat with Kajal Vora, an artist based in Mumbai to talk about her work, how it got started and more! Hello! Introduce a little about yourself. Hi! My name is Kajal …

rootsandleisure_thecamellia

‘Our Goal is to Make Our Guests Feel at Home in Our Homestay” – a Chat with Daisy Fanai, of ‘The Camellia’ in Mizoram

Published by Shanmi

‘The Camellia’ is a lovely homestay located at Chaltlang in Aizawl, Mizoram. It was launched just recently and we chatted with the manager, Daisy Fanai to get more details about the place. “The Camellia is really a family venture,” said Daisy. The piece of land where it is built was gifted to her mom by the grandfather who was the chief of Chaltlang. It was Daisy’s late grandmother’s favourite flower – the camellia and that’s how the name was formed. Their aim is to welcome every customer with utmost kindness and hospitality. Let’s find out everything about this cozy homestay! We had a chat with Daisy Finai, manager of her family’s Airbnb, ‘The Camellia’ to get more details about the place, it’s specialties, services, etc! Hello! Introduce a little about yourself. Hello! My name is Daisy Fanai and first of all I want to thank you for giving us this opportunity. I’m from Mizoram and currently living here in Aizawl. I did most of my schooling in Calcutta and New Delhi. I studied English Hons …

rootsandleisure_imlijungshi

Imlijungshi, a Self-Taught Artist from Nagaland, Finds Freedom in Art

Published by Shanmi

Imlijungshi is a self-taught artist from Dimapur, Nagaland. He experiments with various mediums, from sketching to digital tools to illustrate Nagaland’s ethnic culture and community. Inspired by anime, his work reflects his inner passion for his homeland and his art. He recently bagged a job offer to be an illustrator for a game and wishes to continue sketching and painting with the same passion in future. Read on to know more about him.  We interviewed with Imlijungshi, a self-taught artist from Nagaland to get some insight about his work, his inspiration and his future plans! Hello! Introduce a little about yourself. Hello! My name is Imlijungshi, from Dimapur. Nagaland. I’m currently in my BA final year and after that, I plan on spending my time and life doing art. Tell us about your work, what got you started? My works are mostly experimental as a self-taught artist but I mainly focus towards our Nagaland’s ethnic cultures and community. And I plan on improving my skills to show the full potential of Nagaland’s cultural aesthetic values …

rootsandleisure_mothersday

Mother’s Day Special | Folks Across The Country Shares ‘Sweetest And Funniest Things Moms Say And Do’

Published by Shanmi

They say a mother can take the place of all the others yet whose place no one else can take. They are irreplaceable and every mother is uniquely special in her own ways. So, on this Mother’s Day, we wanted to recall and celebrate the authentic virtues that are tied down to motherhood: sacrifice, commitment, selfless love, perseverance—the list is endless. We have reached out to some lovely folks across the country and asked them to share some things about their mothers, and the answers are heartwarming! Scroll down to read them all. My story is a combination of both the sweetest and the funniest time I had with my mom. One day, as I was walking around in the town shopping with my mom, I unconsciously began singing the carol “O Holy Night ” and as I gradually got more into it, singing louder and louder, walking amidst a whole crowd of people, rather than jolting me back to reality she joined in on the action, even louder than me, if I may add. …

rootsandleisure_shrimprecipe

Quick and Easy Recipe of Shrimps with Chives – by Wormung from Manipur

Published by Shanmi

Not every delicious food needs great effort or time to make, at least not the dish we’re sharing with you today. Try this simple delicacy of shrimps with chives, contributed by Wormung from Manipur. She has prepared her shrimp dish with just few ingredients such as chives picked from her kitchen garden, chilli powder and garlic-onion. Let’s check out how she has done it. Quick and easy recipe of shrimps with chives, contributed by Wormung from Manipur Ingredients : Shrimps ( 500 gm) Chives (350 gm) Chilli Powder ( 2 tbsp ) Garlic ( 7 cloves ) Onion ( 1 medium size ) Salt to taste Preparations : Heat the pan, add 3-4 tbsp of oil Add the chopped onion, fry for about a minute, then put the chopped garlic Add the properly washed shrimps, chilli powder, salt and fry for about 20 minutes Add the chopped chives onto it and fry for another 5-7 minutes. The shrimp dish is ready to serve. Enjoy!

rootsandleisure_kfreethemreichan

“My Art Is Based On Cultural And Ethnic Identity” – A Chat With K Free Themreichan, Artist From Manipur

Published by Shanmi

Today, we’re presenting to you yet another brilliant artist—K. Free Themreichan from Manipur, who is painter as well as a singer! Having been gifted with such impeccable talent, his paintings have been exhibited in various art shows and he has released two gospel albums too. His artworks showcases the rich culture of his community and the livelihood of the locals. “Growing up in nature’s lap gave me an unparalleled fondness for nature“, says Themreichan. His love for nature is certainly reflected in his art. Read on to know more about him. We had a chat with K Free Themreichan, an artist from Manipur, about his artworks, how his roots and culture inspired his work, his passion for music and more! Hello! Please introduce a little about yourself and your work. My name is K. Free Themreichan. I’m a painter and a musician from Ukhrul, Manipur. I did my BFA from Imphal Arts College and went on to complete MFA from College of Art, Delhi. My paintings have been exhibited in various art shows. My important …